Bat Houses

Built bat houses for a local nature center. Bats are good for the environment. For information on how to construct bat houses, contact Bat Conservation Int'l at www.batcon.org

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Bird Houses

Intended for:

Boy Scouts, Webelos Scouts, Eagle Scouts

Instructions:

Built 50 bird houses that accommodated several different species, posted them in a regional park, and donated some to neighbors along the park. The bird houses were made out of scrap wood donated by a lumber company.

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Book Drive

Intended for:

All Scouts, Eagle Scouts

Instructions:

Organize and run a Book Drive to create a library in a non-profit center such as home for battered women, orphanage, hospital, ...Pass out flyers announcing upcoming book collection. Prepare the location where the library will reside. Go to the homes and collect books. Catalog the books into the library.

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Pull Tabs for Ronald McDonald House

Intended for:

All Scouts

Instructions:

Collect aluminum pull tabs from cans and donate them to the Ronald McDonald House in your area. Most RMHs have a collection program in place.

This is a simple, ongoing project that provides a great Good Turn opportunity.

If local elementary school has a garden / life lab program, build garden boxes, make a rabbit-proof fence, build a pathway.

Paint a map of United States on an elementary school playground to teach geography using games.

Clear the land and mulch the area next to an elementary school. Build wooden picnic tables.

Improve school facilities by rebuilding old walls, reroofing, or other construction.

Create a long, paint on blacktop, walking path around school playground.

Purchase and install a school mascot sign that includes a message board for school information.

Design, create, and install a School Flag for a school district, along with flag poles and flag stands.

Restore a Brass School Bell and it's yoke. Build a 3'x3' brick base to mount the bell and yoke.

Refinish school picnic tables.

Build a sandbox for schoolyard.

Build playground equipment for school.

Plant pine trees on school property.

Plant flowers and landscape to beautify the appearance of local elementary school.

Form a chapter of middle school S.A.D.D.

Remove graffiti at schools and other public places.

Form a youth court at your school or church to help resolve problems between kids.

Create a mentoring program for your Scouts to help younger kids in elementary school.

Create a fingerprint program with the local police and perform it at elementary school.

Have elementary teachers fill out a 'Wish List' for books and supplies. Then, raise funds to purchase items or ask community members to contribute.

Volunteer to help Police or Fire departments with McGruff, DARE, or similar programs.

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Webelos Legacy

Intended for:

Webelos Scouts

Instructions:

Webelos Scouts show their appreciation for the fun, adventure, and learning of Cub Scouting. They have created a tradition within the pack for the outgoing group of Webelos to leave a legacy to the Pack.

The legacy is a gift or service that benefits the Pack as a whole.

One year, the Webelos raised funds and purchased a dutch oven for the Pack. They raised the money by holding a bake sale in conjunction with the Pack's Pinewood Derby.

At the Pack's Blue Gold dinner, a Webelos scout representing the den presents the legacy and challenges the next year's den to leave their mark in their last year of Cub Scouts.

The scouts gain experience in planning and carrying out a project as will soon be required for Boy Scout advancement. The Pack benefits by receiving the gift or service provided by the scouts without expenditures from limited financial and manpower budgets.

Wood Duck Houses

We worked in conjunction with the IA DNR and Ducks Unlimted for this event. It involved Wolf and Bear aged Cub Scouts. The DU provided the supplies (wood, screws, etc) and the lunch for the boys. The wood was pre-cut by DU members for the boys before they arrived.

Instructions:

The project was coordinated with the IA DNR and DU.We started the day by having a DNR agent discuss habitat, food chain, life cycle, restoration, etc of the wood duck and Cananda Geese. After learning about the life of a wood duck, the boys worked with an adult partner to build the duck houses.When the houses were assembled and painted, we took a lunch break.After lunch we drove to a nearby wildlife area. The boys helped the DNR agent raise two of the duck houses.This a great opportunity for the boys to do some good for the environment and to get to know the local DNR agent(s). Build a relationship with the agents.One wood duck house was autographed by the boys and will be auctioned off at the DU banquet.